Last.



' F. PIERCE & N. 'THERRAULT.

LAST.

' FILED m Patented May 25, 1915.

mgmwa: Emma ml akrm FRANKLIN PIERCE AND NAPOLEON THERIAULT, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAST.

Lia-M55117.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May as, an.

Application filed March 15, 1915. Serial No. 15,111.

strains to which the lasts are subjected during the manufacturing of shoes,particularly during the heeling operation on power heeling machines.

The invention consists primarilyof a; top- I plate having a shank extending completely through the heel portion of the last with its opposite end retained in contact with the heel plate by a suitable securing member threaded thereto, by the disengagement of which the top plate and its shank may be removed to be used on other lasts.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be fully understood by reference to the description of the drawings andto the claims hereinafter given.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of a last embodying the principles 'of the present invention. Fig. 2 represents a transverse section-thereof, the cutting plane being on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 represents a horizontal section, the cutting plane being on line 33 on Fig. 2.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. y

In the drawings, 10 is the main portion of a last and 11 the usual instep block. The heel plate 12 is secured to the heel of the last by means of nails 13 in the usual manner. This heel plate 12 is provided with a conical opening 14 therethrough in which the head 15 of a securing member 16 is adapted to be positioned. The body of the securing member 16 is threaded to a cylindrical shank 17 formed integral with a top plate 18 adapted to rest upon the upper face of the heel portion of tiie lashas indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The rear end ofthis top plate 18 is provided with a projecting flange 19 extendin cated in Fig. 1. This flange 19 serves the purpose of preventing injury to the last when it is knocked on end, as is frequently the case when the last is used in connection with turned shoes. The under face of the top plate 18 is concaved as at 20, and in this concaved recess the upper end of the heel portion of the last is positioned as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. When the last is subjected to great downward pressure as is true when a heel is being secured tothe sole in a power heeling machine, the tendency is to split the last. This is partially obviated by providing the concaved recess 20 in the under face of the top plate 18, as the downwardly extending sides of said top plate tend to prevent the lateral separation of the heel part when great downward pressure is applied thereto. To further prevent this splitting of the heel portion of the last under pressure a rivet 21 is provided extending transversely throughthe heel portion of the last. This rivet is so positioned relative to the shank 17 that it will bear against a flattened portion 22 of said shank, thereby preventing any rotation thereof in the cylindrical opening 23 bored entirely through the heel portion of the last. The upper part of the shank l7 andtop plate 18 is provided with a socket 24 adapted to receive the usual, jack pin of any machine on which the last is to be mounted. The shank 17 extends entirely through the heel portion of the last and its lower end bears against the inner face of the heel plate 12, thus forming a solid connection between the top plate 18 and the heel plate 12 relieving the heel portion of the body of the last 10 from the pressure to which the last is ordinarly subjected during the heeling operation. Th socket 24 extends only partially through the shank 17, the inner end 25 of the socket being adapted to rest upornthe end of a supporting pin when desired ins 'ome of the operations during the process at manufacturing the shoe.

Should the heel portion of the body of the last 10 shrink to any degree, there is still a solid connection between the heel plate 12 and the top plate 18. By threading the securing member to the shank 17, the end of this shank 17 may always be retained "in contact with the inner face of the heel plate. .By making the securing member 16 downwardlyi detachable, the top plate 18 with its shank a portion of the rear en of the last'as indFf iq may be removed at any time. from the I plate secured thereto and provided with an.

body of the last to be utilized in other lasts-, as desired.v v

This makes a very strong and effective device for strengthening the last which is very simply constructed, and which may be removed at will and used over and over again in diflerent lasts. i

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of this invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description. Having thus described our 1nve1ition,' we claim: I i

1. In a last, the combination of a heel plate securedthereto and provided with an opening therethrough; a top plate provided with a cylindrical shank having a pin socketand a securing member threaded to said in one end and extending through the last" withits opposite end in contact with said heel plate; and a securing member threaded to said shank having a head positioned in said heel plate.

2. In a last, the combination of a heelopening therethrough; a top plate provided with a cylindrical shank having a pin sdcket in one end and extending through the last with its opposite end in contact with said heel plate; and means threaded to said shank for locking said heel plate and shank together.

3.'In a last, the combination of a heel plate secured thereto and provided with an opening therethrough; a top plate provided with a cylindrical shank having a pin socket 3 in one end and extending through the last with its opposite end in contact with said heel plate, said top plate having a longitu- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

sliank having a head positioned in said heel p ate. v I

i. In a last the combination of a heel plate secured thereto and provided with an opening therethrough a top plate provided with a cylindrical shank havlng a pin socket in one end and extending through the last with its opposite end in contact with said heel plate, said top plate having a downwardly'extending flange at its rear-end to protect the rear endof the heel portion of the last; and a securing member threaded to said shank having a head positioned in said heel plate.

5. In a last, the combination of a heel plate secured thereto and provided with an opening therethrough; a top plate with a cylindrical shank having a pin socket n one end and extending through the last with its opposite end in contact with said heel plate, said shank having a flattened face; a pm extending transversely of the last and contacting with said flattened face to prevent rotation of said shank; and a securing member threaded to said shank positioned in said-heel plate.

Signed by us at 4 Post Oflice Sq., Boston. Mass, this 6th day of March, 1915.

FRANKLIN PIERCE. NAPOLEON TI-IERIAULT. Witnesses:

EDWARD F. ALLEN, WALTER E. LoMBAie).

by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 6."

having a head 

